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September 2007

Menaka P.P. Bora and Indira P.P. Bora tour UK

Menaka P.P. Bora and Indira P.P. Bora tours UK Menaka P.P. Bora and her mother Indira P.P. Bora are on an exclusive tour of five British cities performing Sattriya dance, conducting workshops and giving lectures in mainstream dance venues, museums and universities in September and October of 2007. This photograph of Menaka P.P. Bora demonstrates a static pose in Sattriya dance but they also carries a sense of movement.
Photograph by Avinash Pasricha.

Great Success Awaits Nandini Sarma of Kansas!!

Great Success AwaitsNandini Sarma of Kansas!! Nandini Sarma, a senior high school student at the Shawnee Mission East High School, Kansas has recently received several awards and wide recognition for her outstanding research work in biomedical sciences. Since her freshman year in high school, Nandini has been conducting research to find solutions to common health related problems such as food-borne illnesses, cancer and viral infections.

Her research on natural food preservatives revealed that garlic (Allium sativum) can effectively replace the harmful synthetic chemical preservatives from the food chain (meat and eggs), thus providing a health friendly, easily available and cost effective natural alternative to prevent food-borne illnesses caused by consumption of Salmonella and E. coli contaminated meat and eggs.

For cancer research, Nandini studied the effect of a selected virus infection on Herpesvirus induced tumor development in-vivo and its affinity to kill transformed cells in-vitro. Although, from the preliminary studies she came out with interesting findings and encouraging results, further work is in progress before coming to a final conclusion.

Recently, Nandini started working on pathobiology of Herpes simplex virus under the mentorship of Prof. G. S. Read, one of the world’s most renowned scientists in Herpes simplex Virus research. Using RNAi, real time RT-PCR and other molecular biology techniques, she found that certain eukaryotic cellular translation initiation factors are required for the virus to initiate infection and cause mRNA degradation, eventually leading to cellular death. Her research findings were presented at the 32nd International Herpesvirus Workshop and a research paper is being prepared for publishing in the “Journal of Virology”.

Nasreen Barua Schulze

Nasreen Barua  Schulze Nasreen Barua  Schulze was born on  July 13 , 2007 in San Francisco at the home of her mother Jina Saikia Schulze and father Stefan  Schulze. Amulya and Polly Saikia of the Bay Area are her proud grand-parents.

Bihu Performance in New York City

Bihu Performance in New York City A Bihu team from Assam performed in New York ’s popular Bryant Park at 42nd St. for three consecutive days beginning Sunday (9/24) through Wednesday (9/26). It was a part of the India at 60 Celebration in New York. The celebration coincided with the gathering of heads of states from all over the word at the United Nations at the same time.

Deepak Chakravarti, Cherry Hills, NJ

Assam Day, UK

Assam Day, UK Assam Day, the popular premier annual function of the Assamese in the UK was celebrated during the weekend of 25th and 26th August 2007.  It was held at Novotel in the city of Nottingham. The function was very well attended.  People from all corners of the country attended and both the younger and older generations fully participated in the event.

Wind Power - A Renewable Energy Source

Poetical context aside, the Bob Dylan’s lyric “-the answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind–-” can be appropriately applied to wind as an available and renewable source of much needed energy in the context of today’s environmental problems. Our civilization is vitally dependent on supply of energy that drives the machines to support an increasingly rising standard of living among nations. Whereas conventional sources of energy -coal, oil, gas and nuclear fuel- provide the bulk of energy need, the only significant renewable source of energy – hydro power- provides only about 20% of global electricity need. In the last fifty years the population of the world has increased three times, but the demand for electricity has gone up more than fifteen times. Dependence on conventional fuel to meet this staggering demand has created a dangerous environmental situation that includes the greenhouse effects. Ex-VP Al Gore has been a champion of an awakening of this grave danger that faces the human race. There is ample evidence that business as usual as far as energy supply is concerned is untenable and humanity has to find alternatives for the survival of the race.

The Matrilineal Society of the Khasis

India's northeast is an eclectic medley of tradition, ethnicity and cultural heritage. Popularly known as the Seven Sisters, the states Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, and also the newest entrant in the North East Council (NEC) – Sikkim, are all sibling states that are treasure troves of a heady mix of race and rituals. Each state has its own remarkable and distinguishing features. One such state with a unique attribute is Meghalaya with its legacy of a matrilineal society, a heritage that sets it apart from all the other states of not only the northeast but that of the entire country of India.

The Brahma Sisters...

Mridu and Marshilla BrahmaMridu and Marshilla Brahma are a pair of sisters who not only share the same roof but also share the same passion for the stage. The sisters have been dancing together for about 8 years now at events ranging from birthday parties, India Fests, to Bihus to annual conventions and gatherings.

Srimanta Sankardev Janmotsav Celebration in Mumbai

Assam is known as the “land” of Srimanta Sankardev, and yes Mahapurush Janmutsav was celebrated with great enthusiasm and devotion by the entire Assamese community residing in Greater Mumbai on Sunday 23rd September 2007 at Assam Bhawan, Vashi, Navi Mumbai which was organized by the Assam Association Mumbai.

Srimanta Sankardev Janmotsav Celebration in Mumbai

The celebration started with naam praxanga, performed by bhakats from Kamalabari Sattra, Majuli, the largest river island in the world, together w

Lara weds Neelanjan

Lara weds Neelanjan Lara Natasha, daughter of Maria & Stanley Witowski was married to Neelanjan, son of Neeruj and Aswini Choudhury on September 22, 2007 at the Choudhury’s Holmes, NY residence. Photograph shows Alpana (sister), Neeruj (mother), Lara Natasha, Neelanjan, Aswini (father) and Bidita (sister). Photography by Dhruba Das of Coatesville, PA.

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